IN THE sort of sublime weather which has graced Scarborough for the last two days there is no finer place in England to watch first-class cricket. But the idyll has again been tarnished by questions about the pitch.

Following leg-spinner Mark Lawson's five-wicket haul for Yorkshire on the first day, it was Durham off-spinner Gareth Breese's turn yesterday.

The Jamaican, previously averaging 65.6, improved his best championship figures for Durham from two for 28 to five for 41 as Yorkshire subsided limply from 120 for one to 200 all out.

Durham then stretched their lead of 125 by reaching 253 for five, with a stand of 94 between Marcus North and Breese making a mockery of the pitch inspectorate's decision to spend upwards of £600 sending Mike Denness up from Brentwood in Essex.

Just before North was out for 62 at 5pm Denness announced that he was satisfied with the surface, observing that it had never been broken.

Scarborough's reputation for producing high-scoring draws prompted Yorkshire to start asking for pitches which produce results around eight years ago. Since then matches have rarely gone to a fourth day.

Guidelines regarding spin on the first day meant umpires Peter Willey and George Sharp felt obliged to report to the pitch inspectorate on Wednesday. The result was that Denness was despatched to Scarborough, but it was clear that the clatter of wickets before lunch had far more to do with poor batting than excessive turn.

In fact, this pitch produces far more riveting cricket than those at Riverside, and it seems ludicrous to be questioning it.

But for the sake of the festival Yorkshire need to re-examine their pitches policy, especially as it has done them no favours this season. They lost to Somerset and now look like becoming only the second side this season to lose to Durham, despite beating them by 320 runs at Riverside in June.

At that time they looked genuine promotion candidates. Yesterday they looked like no-hopers.

With Craig White injured and Anthony McGrath kicking his heels with the England one-day squad, they look desperately short of batting and are rumoured to be on the trail of Australian Brad Hodge, who isn't keen to stay with Leicestershire.

Yesterday's pitiful collapse was begun by an excellent spell from Liam Plunkett and finished off by Breese taking five for 18 in 41 balls.

Left-hander Phil Jaques had moved on from his overnight 50 to 66 when Plunkett beat him outside the off stump then hit his leg stump with the next ball as the Australian shuffled too far across.

Four overs later Joe Sayers, who played well for his 54, almost played on then Plunkett's next ball, a yorker, knocked out Richard Pyrah's leg stump.

Durham had Graeme Bridge on from the bottom end from the start, but he found no great turn and was replaced after bowling ten overs by Breese.

The off-spinner had Michael Lumb lbw for 17, driving at a full-length ball, and the rest of his victims fell to bat-pad catches as Yorkshire prodded and poked as though he were bowling spitting cobras.

He turned the ball, but not excessively, and the procession was completed by Neil Killeen bowling Tim Bresnan and Bridge breaching Matthew Hoggard's attempted sweep. Wicketkeeper Ismail Dawood might be a little high in the order at six, but he was untroubled in making 21 not out.

He then held a comfortable catch when Jon Lewis drove at a Steve Kirby away swinger, but James Lowe dug in to prove that survival was perfectly possible.

Yorkshire had off-spinner Richard Dawson on after 12 overs and in his second over he turned one to have first innings century-maker Gordon Muchall lbw on the back foot for 18.

Shortly afterwards Dawson was awarded his county cap, as predicted in Northern Echo Sport, but there was no further success for the Yorkshire spinners until Breese fell 30 minutes from the close for 68.

Lawson missed a return chance offered by Lowe on 26 and a cover drive and on-drive off the leg-spinner were the best of Lowe's seven fours in making 41 off 97 balls before umpire Sharp gave him out lbw when well forward to Hoggard.

At 109 for three Durham were already 234 ahead when Breese marched in to complete his successful day by virtually putting the game beyond Yorkshire.

For the second time in the match he looked very much at home on this pitch after surviving a big lbw appeal from Hoggard on seven.

North swept Lawson for six on his way to 50 off 84 balls and Breese reached the landmark off 55 balls when he drove Dawson for six over long-on.

Kirby ended the excellent partnership when he nipped one back to have North lbw on the back foot, then Breese cut at Lawson and edged to Dawood.

Gavin Hamilton, who was not required to bowl in Yorkshire's innings, atoned for making only two on the first day by reaching 27 not out.

Phil Mustard concentrated on getting through the last half hour and will hope to add appreciably to Durham's lead of 378 today.

Read more about Durham CCC here.